The invention relates to a method for controlling an Internet portal for a social network service from a motor vehicle. The invention also includes a server arrangement for the Internet.
A social network service is understood to mean a communication platform that a unified group of people who are all registered with the communication platform by a profile can use to exchange information. By way of example, the messages may be texts or images. Internet portals of such social network services are known under the name “Facebook”®, “Google+”® and “Twitter”®, for example.
A method of the cited type is known from DE 10 2009 042 664 A1, for example. The cited document describes how an automated process in a motor vehicle can involve an instantaneous operating state of the motor vehicle, for example the speed thereof, being taken as a basis for producing a message that the user of the motor vehicle can then transmit to an Internet portal for a social network service via the Internet during the journey. This allows the user, without becoming too greatly distracted in the process, to inform other people about his progress on the route, for example.
Internet portals for social network services are normally controlled by a user from a computer by an Internet browser. The operators of the different Internet portals normally provide a special service program (known as an “app”), for example for smartphones, however, that is specialized for control of the respective Internet portal and to this end uses a control interface (API—Application Programming Interface) of the Internet portal. Such a control interface (API) can be used to activate the individual functions provided by the Internet portal by sending a control command to the Internet portal. By way of example, such a function may be the reading of profile data for the user, which profile data describe the personal profile of the user in the respective social network. The entry of a message (what is known as posting) in the social network is also a function that can be used on the basis of the API.
In order for a user to be able to control an Internet portal for a social network service from a motor vehicle, it is likewise possible for an appropriate “app” specialized for an Internet portal to be provided, for example by an infotainment system or a combination instrument. In this case, however, it has been found to be problematical to allow the user to install the respective “app” for user control of his favorite Internet portal for a social network service in the motor vehicle. Incorrect operation by the user can result in the infotainment system then no longer working in the manner that the manufacturer of the motor vehicle desires, for example. Even renewing the program code of such an “app” (what is known as an update) is associated with very much more complexity for user apparatuses in a motor vehicle than replacement of an “app” on a smartphone, for example. In addition, an “app” normally needs to be developed by the motor vehicle manufacturer itself or one of its suppliers, since the special circumstances in the motor vehicle (screen dimensions of the infotainment system or combination instrument, the processors used and the operating system used) require separate programming.
Each Internet portal normally has specific commands for the same functions, which are different than the commands at the other Internet portals. In a motor vehicle, it is therefore necessary for an “app” to be developed separately for each Internet portal that is meant to be able to be controlled by the user from a motor vehicle, since the control interfaces (APIs) of the Internet portals are different. It is also possible for a single application to be provided that can be used to allow access to a plurality of Internet portals. This application then uses a plurality of APIs.